Where Is Sheldon Cooper During Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage?

"Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage" would not exist if it weren't for the unprecedented appeal of TV character Sheldon Cooper. From 12 seasons of "The Big Bang Theory" to seven seasons of "Young Sheldon," a version of the genius scientist has always been front and center in the franchise. But now, neither adult Sheldon (Jim Parsons) nor young Sheldon (Iain Armitage) have a physical presence in the most recent spin-off, "Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage."

The show focuses on newlyweds Georgie Cooper (Montana Jordan) and Mandy McAllister (Emily Osment) as they raise their daughter CeeCee and navigate married life while trying to build their careers. While Mandy's family members are regular fixtures on the sitcom, the Coopers have been relegated to the sidelines, with Sheldon still yet to make an appearance. But this is for a very good reason; the series is set in Texas and Sheldon is away at college in California.

Sheldon leaves for Caltech at the end of "Young Sheldon" Season 7 and "Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage" picks up just weeks after the series ended, meaning Sheldon is still in his first year of university. His decision to move to California is a major plot point in the final season of "Young Sheldon," with Sheldon's dad, George (Lance Barber), helping his son choose the best possible college. The pair briefly consider MIT before realizing Sheldon can't handle the extreme cold, so he'll do better in California. Unfortunately, George doesn't get to see his son attend the prestigious institution before he dies.

Sheldon is noticeably absent during the Cooper family's Thanksgiving reunion on "Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage," so Georgie tries to stay strong and get Mary (Zoe Perry) and Missy (Raegan Revord) through their first Thanksgiving without George Sr. Sheldon decides not to return home from California for the event, but that doesn't mean the show has forgotten about him.

According to events established in "The Big Bang Theory," Sheldon and Georgie have a major falling out after their father's death and don't speak to each other for over a decade, with Georgie feeling very hurt that he's left to pick up the pieces in Texas while Sheldon is off in California. However, he doesn't seem to feel this way in "Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage." In fact, in Episode 9, Georgie reveals that he's regularly in contact with Sheldon and has asked his little brother to teach him some Korean before a big work event (although he pulls a little stunt and goes gambling instead).

The recurring references to Sheldon confirm that he is still very much part of the franchise even when he isn't present on screen. Of course, there will likely be opportunities for him to make an in-person cameo, and Iain Armitage has made it clear he's open to returning to his role. "If I got a call to go back, that'd be so much fun ... I could totally see myself getting in the khakis again, putting on the old penny loafers and bow tie, and going back out on the job," he told TVLine.